2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

[aukevin]

I see Dan Uggla is in mid-season form...0-3 with 2K's yesterday.

Yeah... I wish Arizona would have taken him instead of Prado. How much you wanna bet that was Wren's first offer before Prado?

[p_rushing]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

Yeah... I wish Arizona would have taken him instead of Prado. How much you wanna bet that was Wren's first offer before Prado?

Why would you take that much money for someone who can't make contact but likes to swing the hardest he can? I don't think the Braves could seriously make an offer to any team that included Uggla.

[DonkeyJote]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

Why would you take that much money for someone who can't make contact but likes to swing the hardest he can? I don't think the Braves could seriously make an offer to any team that included Uggla.

Especially when they have Aaron Hill, who's two years younger, and was the second best offensive 2B in baseball last year.

We should stop pretending like Uggla is awful, however. Dude had the worst season of his career, and still was 10th among 2B in OPS and 9th in WAR. And dude still averages 30 hr for his career. Do you really think he's going to slug .389 again with 19 hr when his previous career lows are .453 and 27?

[TheMatrix31]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

Especially when they have Aaron Hill, who's two years younger, and was the second best offensive 2B in baseball last year.

We should stop pretending like Uggla is awful, however. Dude had the worst season of his career, and still was 10th among 2B in OPS and 9th in WAR. And dude still averages 30 hr for his career. Do you really think he's going to slug .389 again with 19 hr when his previous career lows are .453 and 27?

I don't know, maybe he will. Hopefully it's not his decline. Either way, still an infuriating player to watch day-in, day-out regardless of what his overall production ends up being. Guess that's all that matters though. He needs to bounce the hell back.

[DonkeyJote]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

I don't know, maybe he will. Hopefully it's not his decline. Either way, still an infuriating player to watch day-in, day-out regardless of what his overall production ends up being. Guess that's all that matters though. He needs to bounce the hell back.

He's only 32. And it's not like he's a player that relies on athleticism. He is very streaky. Always has been, always will. When he's going bad, it can be frustrating. But if it all clicks for him, he's the second or third best 2B in baseball.

Over his two years in Atlanta, Uggla has 51 hr. Only Cano has more among 2B. Only BJ Upton on the Braves has that many total. The 36 he hit in 2011 is tied for the most hit by a 2B since 2002. And for the first two months of last season (.267/.380/.454) he carried this team, as he did in 2011 with his final three months (.290/.366/.572). That's a 131 game stretch where the guy went .281/.372/.527 with 32 hr. If he can get all that into one season, he's a legitimate MVP candidate. And this is 9 months ago he was doing this. I don't think it's a stretch at all to think he'll bounce back.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

I know. Just speaking out of nervousness here. He'll be fine. I just hope his slumps don't coincide with others'.

[KSUowls]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

That has been the story of this team the last few years. When 1 guy gets going it seems like they all do, and then they all go bad at the same time. It's a product I think of having so many high strike out guys, and unfortunately this year could be even worse for that (strikeouts). You can't have it all though, and I still like this team's combination of speed and power.

[Ed26]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

B.J Upton really needs to change that swing. Im not talking about all the moving part that everyone talks about, is how he swings the bat. When the bat is crossing the plate is in this formation \ as if he is hammering the ball, resulting in a lot of ground balls. I can't even explain it right, but damn it looks ugly.

EDIT: This happens a lot of time, not every time btw.

[DonkeyJote]

B.J Upton really needs to change that swing. Im not talking about all the moving part that everyone talks about, is how he swings the bat. When the bat is crossing the plate is in this formation \ as if he is hammering the ball, resulting in a lot of ground balls. I can't even explain it right, but damn it looks ugly.

EDIT: This happens a lot of time, not every time btw.

I'm not even going to comment on a guy's mechanics. The man is a professional baseball player. Him and his coaches know a whole hell of a lot more than anyone here.

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[aukevin]

The Tigers need a closer, what do they have that the Braves need for Venters?

[thefakeJTS]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

The Tigers need a closer, what do they have that the Braves need for Venters?

With Walden and O'Flaherty having health concerns, Wren does not need to think about trading Venters right now. Losing Venters to trade and the other two to injury (meaning they don't play up to expectations because of lingering issues) would decimate the strength of the team.

[LowerWolf]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

The Tigers need a closer, what do they have that the Braves need for Venters?

I'd be OK with Cabrera playing third.

[aukevin]

With Walden and O'Flaherty having health concerns, Wren does not need to think about trading Venters right now. Losing Venters to trade and the other two to injury (meaning they don't play up to expectations because of lingering issues) would decimate the strength of the team.

When it comes to relievers I think when you start to see a drop off you should really start thinking of a move. If it was the Venters of a season and a half ago, I'd agree with you, but I think we've already seen the best of him.

[DonkeyJote]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

When it comes to relievers I think when you start to see a drop off you should really start thinking of a move. If it was the Venters of a season and a half ago, I'd agree with you, but I think we've already seen the best of him.

Really? Because after the All-Star Break, dude had a 1.71 era and a .211 baa. If you take out the game he gave up 4 runs without recording an out against the Yankees, dude had a 2.60 era last year. He was a guy coming off back to back years where he threw 171 innings over 164 appearances. Fatigue was bound to set in. It only takes a couple bad outings for a reliever's ERA to balloon.

[thefakeJTS]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

I think Avilan will continue his success, and Gearrin should be able to replicate Moylan-like numbers (hopefully). Trading Venters would decimate the already established core, but I do think Avilan could fill in nicely if Wren does go that route.

However, as I mentioned before if Walden and EOF are injured, Venters does not need to go anywhere. If they are healthy, I wouldn't mind trading Venters for someone that can actually hit lefties off the bench.

Francisco can't hit lefties.
Pena can't.
Pastornicky can't.
Schafer can't.
Constanza can but he is missing and won't make the team.
Laird hasn't in a while.

That leaves Reed Johnson as the only bench bat that can hit lefties assuming C.Johnson starts against LHPs.